Pres Senior’s Blog Will Soon be a Book

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While many Pres girls are finishing up homework, studying for the SATs, or playing on the field, senior Nancy Vu is publishing her book “Just Little Things: A Celebration of Life’s Simple Pleasures.“

The book will be based off her blog, “Just Little Things” about the simple joys of life that make us happy. It will contain 250 sayings, quotes and posts that come from her blog, with a few new ones added. The blog has almost 800 posts of ‘just little things’ that should be appreciated rather than overlooked.

Vu started posting a saying every day in December of 2010 on her blog. As a second semester sophomore, she wasn’t expecting the success that would soon come. With the blog growing more and more popular, and nearly half a million subscribers and 25,000 page views a day, she was approached by the editor of New York Publisher Perigee via email.

“I was just checking my ‘Just Little Things’ email , like every other day, when Marian Lizzi emailed me and introduced herself. She said she thinks it’s a good idea if I made a book out of it,” said Vu. “I got really excited.”

“I first noticed Nancy’s blog last fall, when some of her ‘little things’ began showing up on my Pinterest, Facebook, and Tumblr feeds thanks to readers reposting and sharing them,” said Lizzi, Editor-in Chief at Penguin Group. “Clicking through to find Nancy’s full collection was a true delight. Each post is a gem, a deceptively simple observation that resonates with joy, reflection, and appreciation.”

Lizzi, a publisher at Perigee Inc., wasn’t the only one emailing her. Many other people who experienced her blog reached out to her about how they were inspired.

“The ones that make me really emotional are those that talk about how my blog changed their life and taught them new things. There have been teenagers who were suicidal or depressed and they tell me how my blog changed their perspective on life. I’ve learned that it’s been saving lives. Teens with divorced parents find comfort in it and they share it with their parents,” said Vu. “I take my time to actually send them back a heartfelt message.”

After talking with her parents and signing contracts with the publishing company, Vu got to work. Since May, she’s been working on the design, content, introduction, acknowledgements, author biography and overall manuscript of the book.

“Over the summer I signed the contract and chose all the colors for the book. Recently, I’ve been doing the manuscript, editing all the stuff that will be included in the book and talking to her about the cover design.”

“Just Little Things: A Celebration of Life’s Simple Pleasures” is expected to be released in May 2013. After that, Vu will work on the public relations and promotion of her book. This will be different since now all her followers will have a face behind their inspiration.

“After a year of running my blog anonymously, my followers did not know anything about me except my first name. It’s going to be new for them to see an actual face behind my blog.”

The success of her blog is exceptional since she is only in high school.

“Speaking of how poised Nancy is, I had a sense that she was young, but I didn’t know just how young until she told me her age. I was rather amazed! I’ve published authors who are just out of college, but never one who is still in high school,” said Lizzi.

“I was making my bank account over the summer and they asked if I was employed. It was surreal, I told the guy I an employee of Penguin Group USA as an author,” said Vu. “It gets overwhelming but it’s worth it.”

The Pres community supports her as her journey begins as a published author. “She is a very humble, positive young woman. I am so happy she is being rewarded and recognized for beginning a project that actually uplifts the human spirit rather than degrade it,” said Principal Mary Miller. “I love it when ‘good gals’ win!”